> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://flox.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# flox init

## NAME

flox-init - initialize a Flox environment

## SYNOPSIS

```text theme={null}
flox [<general-options>] init
     [-n <name>]
     [-d <path>]
     [-b]
     [--auto-setup]
     [--no-auto-setup]

flox [<general-options>] init
     [-r <owner/name>]
     [-b]
```

## DESCRIPTION

Create a new empty environment in the current directory or on FloxHub.

The name of the environment will be the basename of the current
directory or `default` if the current directory is `$HOME`. The `--name`
flag can be used to name a specific environment.

By default, the environment will be created in the current directory.
Flox will add a directory `$PWD/.flox` containing all relevant
environment metadata. The `--dir` flag can be used to create an
environment in another location.

If an environment already exists in the current directory, or the path
specified using `--dir` exists, an error is returned.

`init` will try to detect languages being used in the containing
directory, and it will prompt with suggestions for packages or
activation scripts to be added to the environment. These suggestions can
be taken without prompting by passing `--auto-setup`. The suggestions
can be accepted but then edited using `flox edit`. Currently,
suggestions are made for Python and Node.js.

With `--reference` Flox will create a FloxHub environment which can
subsequently be used by other commands using the `--reference` flag.
When creating FloxHub environments Flox *will not* run any setup hooks
based on the current directory.

## OPTIONS

### Common Init Options

`--bare`\
Set up the environment with the emptiest possible manifest.

### Options to initialize a local environment

`-n <name>`, `--name <name>`\
What to name the new environment (default: current directory).

`-d <path>`, `--dir <path>`\
Directory to create the environment in (default: current directory).

`--auto-setup`\
Apply Flox recommendations for the environment based on what languages
are being used in the containing directory.

`--no-auto-setup`\
Don’t auto-detect language support for a project or make suggestions.

### Options to initialize an environment on FloxHub

`-r <owner>/<name>`, `--reference <owner>/<name>`\
The environment reference for the FloxHub Environment to be created.
User needs write access to `<owner>`, and an environment with the same
`<name>` must not already exist.

### General Options

`-h`, `--help`\
Prints help information.

The following options can be passed when running any `flox` subcommand
but must be specified *before* the subcommand.

`-v`, `--verbose`\
Increase logging verbosity. Invoke multiple times for increasing detail.

`-q`, `--quiet`\
Silence logs except for errors.

## SEE ALSO

[`flox-activate`](/man/flox-activate),
[`flox-install`](/man/flox-install)